Electrical connector



1939. c. G. WIRTH 2,170,359

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR I Filed July 26, 1937 '3/ ra I QQX TTTTTTT YS Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Emc'rarcu. comcroa chalet c. Wirth, rmom, Pa. Application my 2 s, 1931. Serial No. 155,800 1 Claim. (01. 173-330) This invention relates to electrical connectors and has for an object to provide a device of this character by means of which an electric clock may be hung and all of the wires concealed.

' l A further object is to provide a novel cap having the terminals provided with laterally directed hooks adapted to hook underneath the spring jaws of a socket member for securely anchoring the cord of a smoothing iron or sweeper or other untensil in place against dislodgment.

A further'object is to provide a socket member having novel jaws adapted to slidably receive the hooked ends of the cap terminals and hold the terminals releasably latched in place until the cap is slid away from the laws.

A further object is to provide a separable electric connector of this type which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

' With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain noveldetails of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modificationsv may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification:

Figure l is a side elevation of the socket member and the cap member of a separable electrical connector constructed in accordance with the invention.

5 Figure 2 is a front elevation of the socket member.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the socket member.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the socket member taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the engage the spring jaws when the cap is slid bodily toward the laws on the socket member.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view showing an electric clock plug member provided with terminals having hooks on the tips for engagement 5 with the socket member.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, I. designates the socket member and Ii the plug member of a separable electrical connector. As best shown in Figures 8 and 9 the cap member is provided with a pair of prongs vl2 forming terminals for electric circuit wires, each prong being provided with a lateral extension II at the tip forming a hook 15 adapted to be received in spring jaws in the socket member ID when the prongs l2 are inserted in slotsv I 4 in the socket member and slid later- Y ally toward the jaws, the slots being of about twice the'width of the shanks of the prongs to permit such slidingmovement.

As best shown in Figure 7 the socket member in comprises a shell I! formed of insulating material. and preferably shaped to. receive two cap members of the type shown in Figure 9. The shellis provided between its pairs of spaced slots I4, with separating blocks ii of insulating material and at the center of the shell an integral insulating block i1 is provided with short lateral arms I! which form seats for spaced parallel 30 metal bars l9, which, as shown by Figures 4 to '1, are secured to a cover plate 25 later described. The bars carry spring clamping jaws as will now be described. Each bar li is provided at one longitudinal edge with a flange 20 which is equipped with screws 2| for receiving a circuit wire. Upon the opposite face of the bar a single length of spring metal 22 is riveted to the bar, as shown at 23. On each side of the rivets the metal is deformed and slit to provide three spring jaws 24 arranged perpendicular to each other to releasably engage the hooked tip I! of a cap prong, as best shown diagrammatically in Figure 9.

The bars I! are secured to a cover plate 25 formed of insulating material and having open ings in the sides to receive screws 2| which, it will be seen, attach the bars It to the cover plate.

The cover plate is secured to the shell by a. bolt 26 which is passed through an opening 21 in the stud ll, shown in Figure 7, and through an opening 28, formed in the cover plate, as

best shown in Figure 4. The bolt is provided with a screw 9 for attaching the escutcheon plate I.

The cover plate is provided with spaced studs 55 2a, of insulating material which bear upon the studs it of the shell so that the two plates I. are thoroughly and completely insulated from each other.

An attaching bracket 30 is secured to the cover plate by a bolt 26 and is provided with periorated terminals ii to receive mounting screws of a conventional wall box.

In operation the pronged tips ll of the cap member are passed endwise into the slots l4 and thereupon the cap member ll may he slid bodily in the slots toward the spring Jaws 24 in which position of the parts the cap member cannot become accidentally dislodged from the socket member. To remove the cap member it is simply necessary to reverse the movements just described.

In Figure 10 there is shown an electric clock plug member comprising spaced plates of insulating material 82 and 33 which are bolted to the clock 34 by bolts 35 and are equipped with spaced terminals 36 having laterally extending hooks 31 at the tips to engage with the spring jaws 24 of the socket member as above described so that all of the wires are concealed.

It will be here pointed out that the device can be used as a polarity plug for direct current. connections because the prongs can be inserted in one position only.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation oi. the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

what is claimed is: y

An electric plug connector comprising a shell oi insulating material having pairs of spaced slots, separating blocks of insulating material between the slots, an insulating block at the center oi the shell provided with short lateral arms forming seats, a cover' plate, metal bars secured to the cover plate, said bars extending longitudinally of the shell across said seats, each bar being provided at one longitudinal edge with a flange for receiving terminal wire securing screws, a single conductor of spring metal riveted at the center to the center or each bar, the conductor being deformed on each end and slit to provide three spring Jaws arranged at an angle to each other, saidccver plate having openings in the sides receiving said circuit wire receiving screws, a bolt passed through the cover plate, the insulating block and the shell for securing the cover plate to the shell, spaced studs oi. insulating material projecting from the cover plate and bearing upon said separating blocks of the shell for insulating said metal bars and their respective conductors from each other, and cap members each provided with a pair of prongs forming terminals for electric circuit wires, each prong being provided with a lateral extension at the tip forming a hook adapted to be received in respective spring jaws oi the conductors by movement the cap member longitudinally of the shell after the prongs have been inserted in a respective pair of said slots.

CHARLES G. WIRTH. 

